When you run a theater company, you can never escape it. Jeopardy! contestant Adam Remsen shocked fans when he put Fiddler on the Roof for his final answer during a question about Israel, causing him to lose.
On June 30, Remsen, an attorney and theater producer, was in the lead going into Final Jeopardy. He had $20,800 compared to Richard Nguyen’s $14,400. Mandy Moreno, from Brooklyn, New York, was in third place with $5,000.
The category for Final Jeopardy was “20th Century Novels.” The clue was “David Ben-Gurion called this 1958 book ‘as a piece of propaganda… the greatest thing ever written about Israel.’”
The correct response was “What is Exodus?” which only Nguyen, from Placentia, California, had correct. He wagered $6,401, giving him $20,801.
Remsen did not have the correct answer and instead wrote, “What is Fiddler on the Roof?” He wagered $8,001, leaving him with $12,799. This ended the champion’s reign at 12 wins and a total of $306,415.
Fans were confused over Remsen’s answer because they said it has nothing to do with Israel, which is what the clue asked for. Fiddler on the Roof is a Broadway musical and film set in 1905 in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia. The story follows a poor Jewish milkman who tries to maintain his religious and cultural traditions while his daughters challenge those customs by choosing their own husbands.
“Fiddler on the Roof. The play has zero to do with Israel!” a Facebook user in the group, Jeopardy! Fan Group wrote.
Some fans said they think Remsen threw the final answer, while others said he probably would have rather put a wrong answer than no answer.
“It’s also not a book, never was,” one fan said.
“I was shocked! One of the easiest FJ answers!” another wrote.
“I think he had no idea and didn’t want to put down a blank. I’m sure he knew that was wrong,” a third commented.
“He is a theater guy,” a fan said.
“I was very surprised he didn’t know. He knew so much about literature,” a fan commented.
“I knew this one, so I was surprised he didn’t,” another said.
“I couldn’t believe it either. Fidler? Of course Exodus. But his background is theater, so I guess …” a Facebook user said.
“Crazy response from Adam. We will miss him,” another commented.
“His answer was shocking!” a fan said.
“I was surprised that he knew it and I didn’t,” one last fan wrote.
Were you surprised by his answer? Did you know the correct response? Let us know in the comments.
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